Railroad tie



Aug. 20, 1946.

RAILROAD TIE Filed Feb. l, 1944 BBRANHAM I i v2,406,131

Patented Aug. 20, 1946 UNITED. STATESv PATENT OFFICE RAILROAD TIE Belden 15x-anhand. Springfield, Ohio Application February 1, 1944, Serial No. 520,650

(Cl. 23S-288) 3 Cl ims. l

This invention relates to a railroad tie, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will be extremely durable and safe against rail spreading and which is so constructed as to permit the rails to be easily and quickly applied and removed therefrom and may be conveniently adjusted for maintaining the rails at various track gauges, such as standard gauge or narrow gauge tracks.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangey ment of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a railroad tie co-nstructed in accordance with my invention and showin-g rails secured thereto.

Figure 2 is an end elevation illustrating the tie of the rail applied.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing the modified form of my invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View showing the means of adjustably securing the rail to the tie.

Referring in vdetail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates an elongated body provided with a rlat base i5 for the support of the body on tie ballast. The body 5 includes a medial portion I and end portions 3. The end portions 3 are of a less height than the medial portion l and form supports for rail clamps 9 arranged in pairs and permit the rail clamps' to be adjusted endwise of the body. The end portions 8 in cross section are substantially T shaped as will be seen from Figures 2 and 3. The end portions being of T shape provide guideways I8. The pairs of clamps 9 include portions that are cut to interlock with the guideways I8, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 to prevent the clamps from lifting upwardly off of the end portions 8 but which will permit the clamps to be adjusted endwise of the end portions.

The clamps 9 further include portions II that coact to receive the base I2 and webs I3 of railroad rails Ii. The portions II are provided with aligned openings to receive bolts I5 that extend through the webs of the rails if the clamps are employed at a joint of rails. When the clamps are employed to engage a rail between its ends,

as sho-wn in Figure 2, the portions I I need not be apertured and have the bolts I5.

rPhe vertical end walls of the intermediate portion 'l are provided with screw threaded sockets to receive threaded rods I 8 which extend horizontally over the end portions 8 and are spaced therefrom. After the rods I 6 have been threaded into the sockets of the intermediate portion 'I, they may be brazed or otherwise permanently fastened therein. The rods extend freely through aligned openings I'I provided in the rail clamps and have threaded thereon nuts I8 to engage the pairs of clamps to hold them assembled on the rails.

rIhus it will be seen that the pairs of clamps may be secured at any adjusted position along the portions 8. This will permit the assembling of the rails with respect to each to form tracks of different gauges. Lock nuts also may be provided on the rods to prevent the nuts I8 from accidentally threading thereon.

The body 5 at its medial portion 1 may be of I beam construction so that the body will be of a maximum rigidity.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that the pairs of clamps may be readily assembled on the body or end portions 8 of said body and positioned to receive the rails and easily adjusted thereto forming an efficient seat for the rails, and when secured in position by the nuts I8 engaging therewith the rails will .be prevented from accidentally spreading.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a railroad tie, an elongated body including a medial portion of I-beam construction in cross section and end portions of modied I-beam construction of reduced height and having downturned upper edges, pairs of rail clamps slidably mounted longitudinally on the end portions to receive and grip rails, means on said pairs of rail clamps interlocking in the downturned upper edges of the end portions for holding said clamps in their mounted position and fastening means securing the clamps on the rails and to the medial portion of the body.

2. In a railroad tie, an elongated body includ. ing a medial portion of I-beam construction in cross section and end portions of modified I-beam construction of reduced height and having downturned upper edges, pairs of rail clamps slidably,

Vfrom the medial portion and extending through the clamps for adjusting the clamps relative to each other and relative to the medial portion.

3. In a railroad tie, an elongated body includlng a medial portion of I-beam construction in y cross section, end portions of modified beam construction of reduced height and having down-y turned upper edges, a. base common to all of the portions of said body, pairs ofV clamps slidably mounted longitudinally on the end portions and including depending parts interlocking in the downturned edges of the end portions, said pairs of clamps including parts coacting in forming seats to receive and grip rails, tie rods secured to the medial portion and paralleling the end portions and spaced therefrom, said pairs of clamps having openings receiving said rods to adjust the clamps relative to each other and relative to the medial portion, and nuts turned on said rods and against the pair of clamps.

BELDON BRANHAM. 

